Pull printing, what is it and how can it help my organisation?

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Pull printing, what is it and how can it help my organisation?

Tuesday, 3rd April, 2012

Pull printing, what is it and how can it help my organisation? Don’t worry it’s a simple enough print solution to explain.

When a user wants to print a document they send the document to a print server awaiting retrieval, once they are ready to collect their print output they can walk up to any print device on that network and collect their documents. They can collect their print documents by using a PIN code, swipe card or via a biometric fingerprint reader.

This in essence is pull printing in action. As we said above pull printing is a simple print solution to not only explain, but also install. Never fear, once again Altman has compiled a list of 5 essential reasons why you need pull printing. For time conscious readers the list is condensed, those with more time read on and enjoy.

The reasons in full1 – Reduce print waste with pull printingThis is a big issue for many organisations, so any way that waste can be reduced has multiple benefits, mainly cost reductions and environmental impact. Pull printing can help reduce waste by storing print output on a server until the user is at the print device, enabling that user to pick it up immediately without the risk of it disappearing into the print void of doom.

As a bonus point, having Pcounter, our print management software solution acts as a print reduction tool on its own, we have seen print outputs reduced dramatically when people know their print output is being monitored and that it might cost them money. Pull printing is another bonus on top of that.

2 – Removal of local (highly inefficient) printersThey may be marginally convenient, and bosses will say they are more secure when printing confidential documents (this will be looked at later) but with a pull printing solution in place you can finally get rid of all those locally attached printers that cost hundreds if not thousands of pounds in accumulated paper and toner costs. In these times reducing costs is important for any business, making all those bosses walk a few yards to a more efficient device will mean secure print release, and reduced costs, who knows they may also do the drinks run whilst they are up, or is that pushing it too far?

3 – Iron clad print security – well it’s secure anywayWe can imagine the cries of panic when proposing pull printing solutions to your key stakeholders, especially in a confidential environment like a solicitors, but all organisations have confidential documents that need printing. Why not reduce costs, keep security high and employ a pull printing solution. With pull printing in place you can send your document to the company print server and then collect it when it’s convenient for you, enhanced security comes from the fact that you can assign a unique PIN number, a swipe card or if you wanted to be extra secure use biometric print readers.

4 – Make staff more efficientWe are in no way saying your employees or print users are inefficient but improve that efficiency by employing a pull print solution. There will be no more rushing back and forth to the printers when you have a document waiting as this can be done in one go when the user releases their documents. It also gives the user the choice of what documents they want to print, so they could print important documents first, go to a meeting and then print supporting items afterwards.

5 – Go GREEN!!!We may have mentioned this on the first point but with pull printing and the wider print management software solution in place you will help your organisation go green. We have seen Schools, Universities and many businesses reduce their waste output. Read our blog post on how print management software can reduce waste output to see some very interesting facts about print waste. Reduce print costs today and help reduce, recycle and reuse future print output.

Above are five great reasons why pull printing, and print management software are essential for your organisation. Add more in the comments box below, we welcome some debate.

As always, if you have any comments then please leave them below. We love to know what you think.